Tenille and her mom featured in new music video

Singer Tenille Arts released the music video for her latest Reviver Records single “Call You Names” on YouTube this week. Shot on a Los Angeles soundstage, the clip features mothers, grandmothers and daughters interacting, as Tenille sings the beautifully touching song. Tenille’s mother, Glenda Arts, made her music video debut in the clip.

Glenda said it was an amazing experience to be involved with the production of the music video, with a very long day to produce a three-minute music video, starting at 8 a.m. and going until 8 or 9 in the evening. (The photos shown were taken on the set of the video shoot by Lindsey Feinstein.)

She first heard the song when she and her mother flew down to Minneapolis, Minn., where Tenille was opening for Reba McEntire. Usually Tenille tells her ahead of time what songs she’s doing at a show, but she hadn’t mentioned this one, waiting until Glenda was there to perform it for her in her hotel room.

“That was a very emotional time. My mom and I were in tears,” said Glenda of hearing the song for the first time.

Tenille admits the song is a tribute and an apology to her mother for “those teen years,” and said it was almost divinely inspired.

“I was just kinda playing some chords, trying to think of something different. All of a sudden I started playing these chords, and literally the first line of the song, ‘I remember you caught me with that first cigarette I smoked,’ just came out of my mouth, and I was like ‘What the heck? Where is this going?’ It felt like a ‘God thing,’ because these words were coming out of my mouth, like ‘I called you all of these names.’ Then I had the idea to change that from the mean names into beautiful names.”

“The first few times I played the song live, my mom was in the audience and I couldn’t look at her while I was singing it,” added Tenille. “I lived at home for a couple of years after high school, saving money to make the move to Nashville, and I started to realize all that my mom meant to me and how amazing she is with what she accomplishes every day.”

After seeing the video, Glenda said, “It was very cool to see how they interpret her words.”

The music video crew had about 20 people involved, and the long day was due to costume changes, hair and makeup, with filming of other mothers with their children along with herself.

“It’s a collaboration. It’s quite a crew. It doesn’t happen by just a few people,” said Glenda. Of the video itself, she said it’s “memorable”, but at first she wasn’t even sure she wanted to be in it as she’s a private person. She decided to take part in it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience that may never happen again.

Tenille’s family “is very proud and very supportive of Tenille. She’s working so hard doing what she loves to do,” said Glenda.

Tenille performed the song at a showcase event at the Saskatchewan Country Music Association awards event held in Saskatoon in April, where she came away with awards as Songwriter of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year.

Tenille is headed west for dates in California, Nevada, Colorado and Washington this week before traveling to Saskatchewan to headline the annual “SOAR for Cystic Fibrosis” event in Moose Jaw on May 25. She will be back in Nashville for her first official CMA Fest performance on Friday, June 7 on the Walk of Fame Stage.